Greek Terracotta Oil Lamp

The body formed as a female bust with elaborately styled hair; discoid foot, tall stem with pinched rim giving a broad pouring lip, strap handle to the rear; some pigment remaining. 446 grams, 22.2 cm high



Old French private collection. Swiss private collection, Basel-Landschaft. Private collection of M. Tritten, Binningen, Switzerland. Property of an East Sussex, UK, gentleman.

The Canosan ceramic workshops produced several series of head vases, starting with a red-figure imitation of the Attic plastic oenochoe attributed by Beazley to Group N.21. The next product combined two ceramic techniques: a) the neck, mouth, and handle were executed in red-figure technique with superimposed white rays on the neck; b) the head was drawn from two moulds, mounted on a base rim, and decorated with white slip and polychrome after firing. It belongs to the initial phase of the polychrome ceramic production of Canosa, for which only this type of mould is known. It also illustrates the close collaboration which existed between potters and coroplasts. The same archetype was used in the next phase, producing entirely polychrome head vases, like this one, in which traces of polychrome are still visible on the mouth and near the left ear.

A circular box mirror comprising: a lid featuring a hammered sheet repoussé appliqué of Eros and Aphrodite, god and goddess of love, standing on either side of a thymiaterion, or censer associated with religious worship and ritual; Eros with wings outstretched, left hand supporting the top tier of the censer, right hand lowered to his side holding a wreath(?); much delicate incised detailing to his wings indicating a feathered texture; Aphrodite standing to the right, wearing a floor-length woollen tunic or chiton, a pleated himation around her waist and draped over her left arm; right hand held above the top tier of the censer; the scene is framed within an incised circular roundel; the interior of the lid, and the base including its flange, featuring a series of lathe-turned concentric circular mouldings; both halves mounted on a cleverly designed custom-made stand, which reproduces the human act of lifting the lid off the mirror base; museum-quality. 1.17 kg total, 15 cm



Private collection, London, 1975. with Christie's, Rockefeller Plaza, New York, 9 June 2011, no.109. Accompanied by a copy of the relevant Christie's catalogue pages. Accompanied by a copy of the relevant Kallos Gallery catalogue pages where the mirror is published. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12054-213612.

Handleless mirrors were luxury items that began to be produced in the second half of the 5th century B.C. Themes surrounding Aphrodite were very popular at this time. During the 4th century B.C. Eros was commonly depicted as a slim youth approaching manhood rather than as a child, as he is shown here on our example. Eros and Aphrodite are the two Greek deities most famously believed to induce desire.

With ellipsoid bezel, intaglio standing female figure with distaff and bow or staff, possibly Artemis; repaired. 10.36 grams, 20.60 mm overall, 17.50 x 19.12 mm internal diameter (approximate size British Q, USA 8, Europe 17.49, Japan 16)



Formerly in an old collection formed in the 1970s. Ex Dutch gentleman. Property of a London gentleman.

This is classical Greek type ring dating to 4th century B.C., and the bezel shows a goddess standing naked. The position of the goddess recalls that of Hera or Aphrodite, in the Salting Group (Boardman, 2001, no.733), but the simple dress of the figure with the chiton seems to refer to Diana holding a hunting spear.